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VMS HARDWARE QUALIFICATION PROGRAM

Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS)

2020

Contents

1. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS...................................................................................4

2. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................5

3. CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT..................................................................................5

4. NATIONAL STANDARD FOR CLIENT APPLICATIONS................................................6

5. QUALIFICATION PROGRAM..........................................................................................6

4.1 Expression of Interest..................................................................................................7

4.2 Development and VMS Testing Cycle.........................................................................7

VMS Testing Cycle Format......................................................................................8

4.3 Application Submission and Formal Enrollment.........................................................8

4.4 Review and Qualification Process...............................................................................9

6. QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEWS................................................................................10

7. FAQs................................................................................................................................10

APPENDIX A: APPLICATION PACKAGE....................................................................................12

Contact Information......................................................................................12

PART 1: VMS Application Form.......................................................................................13

Part 2: Attestation...........................................................................................................16

2.1: Attestation Checklists.......................................................................................17

VMS Testing Cycle.........................................................................................19

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Copyright notice: ©HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN IN RIGHT OF CANADA-2020, as represented by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. This Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) document is the VMS Hardware Qualification Program. No other reproduction, transmission, telecommunication or publication of whole or any part of this document may be undertaken without the prior written permission of DFO.

Requests for permission to reproduce, transmit, communicate via telecommunication, publish or otherwise exploit the copyright in the whole or any part of this document should be addressed to DFO at the address or coordinates shown below:

Mark Ledwell Manager, Fisheries Integration and Applied AnalyticsFisheries Resource Management, Fisheries and Harbour Management Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Government of Canada [email protected], 709-772-4260

Permission relating to the reproduction or publication of the whole or any part of this document for purposes of sale may be made conditional upon the requester’s entering into a licensing agreement and the payment ofroyalties.

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1. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS

Applicant: The company/organization that is submitting a VMS hardware for qualification.Application Package: The collection of documents that an applicant must e-mail to the Qualification Team in order to enroll their hardware in the Qualification Program.DFO: Department of Fisheries and Oceans.Qualification: A designation given to a VMS hardware when it successfully passes the Qualification Program and fully meets all requirements laid out in the Standard.Qualification Officer/Officer: The individual in the Qualification Team who will be reviewing applications to the Qualification Program and assessing submitted hardware for compliance with the Standard.Qualification Program: the program through which applicants can submit their VMS hardware to be considered for qualification under DFO.Qualification Team: The team that manages DFO’s VMS Qualification Program. Seal of Qualification: A logo that is provided to applicants for hardware that has successfully completed the Qualification Program and have been designated as qualified under the DFO National Standard.Standard: Term used in reference to the “Standard for the Development of Vessel Monitoring System Hardware” document.VMS: Vessel Monitoring System.VMS Testing Cycle: Testing of a VMS hardware’s positional tracking and messaging capabilities that is conducted before the applicant submits their application to the Qualification Program.

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2. INTRODUCTION

DFO’s National Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is a satellite based, near real time, positional tracking system. It is used to monitor the location of fishing vessels that require VMS as a condition of their license. Each vessel is equipped with an Automatic Location Communicator (ALC) which has been approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. These devices consist of a global positioning system (GPS) and a satellite data transmitter which provide locational information on vessel activity. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) utilizes VMS for resource management and compliance monitoring within various fisheries. VMS coverage varies by region and by condition of license and is dependent on factors such as vessel size, fishing area, gear type, etc.

DFO has mandated VMS as a condition of license for various Canadian fisheries. There are approximately 3500 commercial fishing vessels registered with DFO’s VMS program. This includes vessels 35’ – 64’11” and vessels 65’ and greater. Section 61 of the Fisheries Act requires that fish harvesters keep a log of their catches and their fishing efforts and submit them to DFO. The VMS program enables transmission of positional data of fishing activity from fish harvesters to DFO via satellite.

The Qualification Program is a process by which applicants can submit their VMS hardware solution to be considered for DFO qualification. The purpose of this qualification is to enable fish harvesters identify VMS hardware that are in compliance with the DFO VMS program. In order for a VMS device to be qualified, it must meet or exceed the requirements set out in the “Standard for the Development of Vessel Monitoring System Hardware” (2020) [insert hyperlink] hereafter referred to as the “Standard”.

The Qualification Program seeks to strike a balance between the need to ensure that regulatory and fisher/fleet operational requirements are met while ensuring that third party developers have the flexibility to innovate. This document outlines the processes and procedures that make up the Qualification Program, including the steps applicants must undertake to submit their devices to the Program.

To enroll in the Qualification Program, an applicant must compile and complete an application package and submit it to the Qualification Team. The steps that must be taken prior to submitting the package, and the instructions for completing this package are laid out in detail in the sections below.

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To augment the qualification of VMS hardware based on material submitted by applicants, DFO reserves the right to carry out VMS hardware quality assurance reviews, at the Department’s discretion (for more information please refer to Section 6 of this document).

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3. CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

Information related to each VMS hardware application submitted for approval to DFO will be kept confidential and will only be shared with individuals or groups directly involved with the VMS qualification process.

Information collected as part of the qualification process is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and will be treated accordingly. In the event of an Access to Information request, applicants will be consulted prior to any disclosure of information about them in order to ensure that the information is appropriately protected.

4. NATIONAL STANDARD FOR CLIENT APPLICATIONS

The “Standard for the Development of Vessel Monitoring System Hardware” (2020) document outlines and defines the technical and data requirements to be followed during the development of all VMS hardware. This Standard is the foundation on which the Qualification Program is built and details the key specifications for hardware applicants to adhere to.

The Standard covers the following areas:

- Technical Specifications- Data Specifications- Approvals Process

The complete Standard is available as a separate document and can be found at the following [insert hyperlink]

5. QUALIFICATION PROGRAM

The Qualification Program must be effective in qualifying VMS hardware that meets DFO’s needs without limiting opportunities for innovation. In keeping with these guiding principles, the VMS Qualification Program seeks to integrate into the normal VMS hardware development cycle by using information obtained during the testing phase as its primary

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review materials. This approach is intended to streamline the client application and qualification processes to allow applicants the flexibility they require.

To enroll in the Qualification Program, an applicant must compile and complete an application package and submit it to the Qualification Team. The graph below lays out the steps involved in the preparation, submission, and review of an application package. These steps are described in more detail in the proceeding sections.

*Applicants will note in the above graph that their application to the Program must be submitted after the testing of their VMS hardware. Applicants’ hardware will not be enrolled in the Qualification Program until these steps are complete.

5.1 Expression of Interest

As outlined in section 5 of the Standard document, applicants must first submit a Letter of Interest to the VMS Program [[email protected] ] before they can apply to the Qualification Program. For more information, please refer to Section 5.1 of the Standard.

5.2 Development and VMS Testing Cycle

Applicants must confirm their hardware’s GPS positional and report transmission capabilities using the testing format that has been developed by the Qualification Team. This format is referred to as the “VMS Testing Cycle”. This Testing Cycle includes specific reporting intervals which have been divided into 3 consecutive stages. These reporting intervals reflect common requirements from various commercial fisheries. During each stage the hardware must accurately transmit its GPS reports for 48 hours.

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mailto:[email protected]

These 3 stages of testing must be completed consecutively, and must return successful results before a developer’s application can be submitted to the Qualification Team. The testing data must be stored within the secure data solution provided by the Communication Service Provider associated with the hardware. When the applicant submits their completed application, the Qualification Officer will verify the hardware’s VMS Testing Cycle results. Applicants must ensure they provide DFO with a username and password using HTTP authentication headers to access their encrypted data connection in Section 2 of the Application Form in Appendix A of this document. If DFO has issues connecting to and retrieving the VMS Testing Cycle data, the Qualification Team will reach out to the developer’s primary contact to resolve the issue. If DFO is consistently unable to connect to and retrieve the necessary data, the developer may be required to resubmit their application after a solution is found.

Please note, VMS hardware must be able to meet all of the reporting requirements described in the VMS Testing Cycle while at sea, under varying and sometimes difficult weather conditions. Development of the VMS hardware is the sole responsibility of the applicants therefore, DFO will only provide limited technical assistance.

Should an applicant require assistance with completing their VMS Testing Cycle, they can e-mail the Qualification Team at the following address : DFO.VMSQualificationProgram-ProgrammedequalificationSSN.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

VMS Testing Cycle Format

Stage 1: The hardware must report uninterrupted once per hour for a minimum of 48 continuous hours andmust not drop any more than two consecutive reports during that time period.

Stage 2: The hardware must change its reporting interval to begin reporting uninterrupted every 15 minutes for a minimum of 48 continuous hours and must not drop any more than two consecutive reports during that time period.Stage 3: The hardware must change its reporting interval to begin reporting uninterrupted every 5 minutes for a minimum of 48 continuous hours and must not drop any more than two consecutive reports during that time period.

Position reports must be submitted according to the format guidelines outlined in section 7.3 of the Standard.

5.3 Application Submission and Formal Enrollment

The forms that must be filled out and submitted with a developer’s application package have

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been provided in Appendix A. Please see Section 3 of the Application Form in Appendix A for a full list of the documentation that must be included in an application package. All documentation must be submitted by e-mail to the Qualification Team as a complete package to facilitate the review and avoid delays in the Qualification Program. Documents can be submitted in French or in English.

When a developer’s application package is ready and complete they can submit it to the Qualification Team using the following e-mail address: DFO.VMSQualificationProgram-ProgrammedequalificationSSN.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

A Qualification Officer will review the application package once it has been received to ensure that the forms are complete and all the necessary documentation has been provided. If the application package is incomplete, the Officer will send a response to the applicant’s primary contact (identified in the application form) to inform them of the areas where corrections or additional documentation are needed. Once the Officer is satisfied that the package is complete they will send a notification to the applicant that their hardware has been formally entered into the Qualification Program. By submitting an application package, the applicant is agreeing to enter their VMS hardware into the DFO Qualification Program.

The Qualification Program relies mainly on documentation submitted by applicants that will show how their product meets the Standard. It is imperative that applicants give careful consideration to the Standard, in order to ensure an effective hardware solution.

*Important: The hardware will not be considered ready to begin the Qualification Program until the Officer has received the application from the applicant and they are satisfied that it is complete

5.4 Review and Qualification Process

Once the VMS hardware has been formally enrolled in the Qualification Program, applicants can expect the review process to take up to 6 weeks. During this period, the Officer will review the documentation provided in the application package to determine if the candidate hardware is compliant with the Standard. This period may be longer if issues arise regarding the compliance of the VMS device. DFO may request additional information and/or materials at its discretion to help facilitate the review and approval process.

If the Officer determines that the VMS hardware has successfully qualified, the VMS Program will notify the applicant’s primary contact and the applicant will receive a Seal of Qualification for their hardware. Continued qualification of the VMS device will be dependent on its ongoing compliance with the current DFO Standard. Successful applicants will be

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listed on the DFO, VMS Program web page. A VMS hardware is not considered “qualified” until such time as they are added to this list.

During the qualification process, if the Officer determines that the VMS hardware does not meet the specifications outlined in the Standard, the Officer will work with the applicant’s primary contact to resolve any outstanding issues that have been identified. If issues with the hardware continue however, the Officer may determine that the device is unable to qualify at this time. In this case, the VMS Program will communicate to the developer’s primary contact that the hardware has not successfully qualified. The developer may resubmit the application after issues identified by the Officer have been resolved. At this time the Qualification Program will begin again.

Submissions are prioritized in the order in which they are received by DFO; therefore it is imperative that companies consider the above timeframe when seeking qualification.

If an issue is identified post-qualification, DFO will communicate with the applicant to address the situation. Qualification could be revoked at the discretion of DFO, including removal from DFO’s list of qualified VMS hardware.

6. QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEWS

To ensure the continued accuracy and integrity of the Qualification Process, DFO reserves the right to carry out quality assurance reviews which may include one or more of the following:

- Confirmation of successful data transmission- Confirmation of continued compliance with data architecture and security best practices- Confirmation of adherence to agreement for change management process

Failure to adequately respond to a DFO request for a Quality Assurance Review or failure to meet Standard requirements during a Quality Assurance Review is grounds for qualification revocation, and removal of a VMS hardware from DFO’s list of qualified VMS hardware.

7. FAQs

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How long will it take for a developer to learn if the candidate hardware has qualified after they submit their application package?

Up to 6 weeks. This period may be longer if the Qualification Officer determines that the application package was incomplete, or if the candidate hardware does not comply with the requirements set out in the Standard.

Can a developer submit more than one VMS hardware solution in a single application package?

No. Developers must submit an application for each hardware they wish to have qualified.

Can we as a company be designated as qualified?

No. At this time, companies have to submit applications for each VMS hardware solution they wish to have qualified and cannot receive a broader “developer” qualification.

If there are issues with our hardware that prevent it from being qualified, will we have an opportunity to fix it before the Officer submits their final decision to the VMS manager?

Yes. If there are issues with the VMS hardware that prevent it from qualifying, the Officer will inform the developer’s primary contact of the changes that need to be made and will provide the developer with reasonable opportunities to resolve those issues. If issues with the hardware continue, the Officer may determine that the device is unable to qualify at this time. The VMS Program will then communicate to the developer’s primary contact that the hardware has not successfully qualified.

If we receive a message from the VMS Program informing us that our hardware has not qualified, will we be able to resubmit our application for the same hardware?

Yes, as long as the concerns outlined by the Officer have been resolved.

How will DFO access the developer’s data to view results from the VMS Testing Cycle?

Developers must provide DFO with the information required to access their VMS Testing Cycle data in Section 2 of their Application Form provided in Appendix A. If DFO has issues connecting to and retrieving the VMS Testing Cycle data, the Qualification Team will reach out to the developer’s primary contact to resolve the issue. If DFO is consistently unable to connect to and retrieve the necessary data, the developer may be required to resubmit their application after a solution is found.

What if a developer is unsure of how to conduct a VMS Testing Cycle?

If a developer has questions about setting up their VMS Testing Cycle, they can contact the Qualification Team at the following e-mail address: DFO.VMSQualificationProgram-ProgrammedequalificationSSN.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

What if a developer has questions about preparing their application package?

If a developer has questions about completing their application package, they can contact the Qualification Team at the following e-mail address: DFO.VMSQualificationProgram-ProgrammedequalificationSSN.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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APPENDIX A: APPLICATION PACKAGE

The following pages include forms that must be filled out as part of a developer’s application package. Applicants should ensure they have submitted their Letter of Interest to DFO before beginning to prepare and submit their application package. A detailed list of documentation that must be included in a developer’s package is available in Section 3 of the Application form below.

Contact InformationThe Qualification Program (QP) Team can be reached at the following e-mail address: DFO.VMSQualificationProgram-ProgrammedequalificationSSN.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Please submit an electronic version of your completed application package, as well as any questions you may have regarding the application package or the Qualification Program to this address. A member of the Qualification Team will respond in a timely manner.

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For Administrative Use OnlyTracking Number:Date received (YY/MM/DD)Initials:

PART 1: VMS Application Form

SECTION 1 – GENERAL INFORMATION

VMS Hardware Model Name: VMS Hardware Model number:

Developer Name: Unit Serial Number/ID Number:

Phone: Fax:

Street Address: Country:

City/Town:

Province/State: Postal/Zip Code:

Developer Owner Information

Name: Phone:

E-mail: Preferred method of contact:

Developer’s Primary Contact for VMS Hardware Application

Name: Role:

Phone: E-mail:

Communication Service Provider (CSP) (if different from Developer):

Service Provider Name: Phone:

Website: Fax:

Street Address: Country:

City/Town:

Province/State: Postal/Zip Code:

CSP Primary Contact

Name: Role:

Phone: E-mail:

SECTION 2 – VMS TESTING CYCLE INFORMATION

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Website for positional data retrieval:

Additional instructions for connecting to the developer’s positional data for the candidate hardware (username, password, etc.):

SECTION 3 – APPLICATION CHECKLIST

All attachment files should be clearly labelled. We kindly request that file names include the language used in the checklist below to support our Qualification Team to quickly identify the various components of your application package. All of the documentation listed here must be included and in complete form in order for your hardware to be enrolled in the Qualification Program.

Application Form (filled out, signed and dated) Attestation Letter and checklist (filled out, signed and dated) User documentation: User guide, instructions, user manuals, help files, etc. Pictures and LED/GUI graphics Copy of IP65 certification Copy of the Technical Acceptance Certificate for the VMS unit

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SECTION 4 – CONSENT TO EVALUATION

I submit “ ” (name and model of VMS hardware) to be evaluated by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. This hardware is to undergo assessment and analysis to be evaluated for qualification in the VMS program. I have read the Standard for the Development of Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Hardware and understand the procedures and processes involved for qualification. I understand that by submitting the application package for the VMS hardware, the package becomes the property of DFO. I believe all information submitted on this day to be valid.

I understand that information related to this application will be kept confidential and will only be shared with individuals or groups directly involved with the VMS qualification process.

Information collected as part of the qualification process is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and will be treated accordingly. This information cannot be disclosed to other persons without your consent except where disclosure would be justified pursuant to one of the paragraphs in section 8(2) of the Privacy Act. The information collected is described under DFOs Personal Information Bank DFO PPU 065 (Vessel Monitoring).

The information provided in this application form is collected by DFO in accordance with Section 61 of Fisheries Act.

You have the right to the correction of, access to, and protection of, your personal information under the Privacy Act and to file a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada over DFO’s handling of your personal information. For further information, please contact DFO’s Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Coordinator at [email protected] or at 613-991-3448. For information on Privacy issues and the Privacy Act in general, you may also consult the Office of the Privacy Commissioner website or call 1-800-282-1376.

Owner or Legal Representative Name: Signature: Date:

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Part 2: Attestation

(Application Developer’s Letterhead)

Date:

To: VMS Qualification Program, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Re: Development of Vessel Monitoring System Hardware – Letter of Attestation

This letter and the accompanying Attestation Checklist confirms that VMS hardware name and model is in compliance with the specifications outlined in the “Standard for the Development of Vessel Monitoring System Hardware (2020)”, hereafter referred to as “the Standard”, and that all supporting documentation has been included in the application package. We hereby attest that the Standard was followed and met throughout the entire development of this hardware and will continue to be met in all maintenance of the hardware. We understand that the approval of our VMS hardware is contingent upon continuing to meet the conditions set out in the current Standard. We agree that any information we have provided to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is true, accurate and complete.

We understand that DFO reserves the right to conduct quality assurance reviews at any time for the purpose of verifying the compliance of the VMS hardware with the conditions set out in the Standard. We understand that if a unit is found to be non-compliant as a result of such a review, the designation of the hardware as qualified under the DFO Standard may be revoked.

We understand that for a court case, under section 10 of the Standard, we may be asked to provide files for the verification of data produced by the hardware and attest to the functionality of the hardware in terms of data security. The data chain of custody shall always be tamper proof; especially concerning the management of the data, including the data converter, if applicable.

We understand that under section 10 of the Standard, we may have to testify as a witness in a court case or provide an affidavit that complies with the provisions of the Canada Evidence Act or other relevant statutes. As the copyright holder, we shall also provide a detailed explanation of any transformation or alteration of data from closure of a data group to the transmission of this data group to DFO. This would include the data converter, if applicable.

Sincerely,

________________ _________________ _____________________ ______________

Printed name Signature Company Name Date

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2.1: Attestation Checklists

The checklist below is an extension of the attestation letter. By filling this list out and signing in the space provided below, the developer is attesting that their hardware has met all of the requirements listed here.

The first section of this list outlines key technical specifications that have been laid out in the Standard. The second section includes the core components of the VMS Testing Cycle that the developer’s hardware must undergo. Associated sections of the Standard are provided alongside each item. Developers must reference the Standard document for more detailed descriptions of the technical requirements.

Technical Specifications Test Case Required Documentation Initial if

Compliant

1 As per section 6.1 of the Standard - The hardware must be certified by Industry Canada: Technical Acceptance Certificate (TAC)

Provide copy of the Technical Acceptance Certificate

2 6.2 - The VMS hardware’s name must be unique. Hardware updates which require requalification will require the hardware name to be adjusted to differentiate from the original (e.g. A/B, I/II, etc.).

3 6.4 - The hardware must have a minimum of one set of GPS and communication antennas. The antennas can be setup as two separate or one combined antenna

Reference page(s) from the user manual: ____________

4 6.4 - Antennas and any other hardware that could be exposed to the marine environments should conform to a minimum of IP65

Copy of IP65 certification.

5 6.6 - The VMS hardware configuration must be protected and only changeable by the CSP or its representative. The minimum acceptable protection will be a password to limit the potential of unauthorized unit configuration.Changes to the VMS hardware must be logged with the position logs so an audit of changes to configuration can be performed


6 6.6 - Remote configuration functions must include changing the reporting interval, software update, updating boundaries for geo-fencing purposes, retrieving position reports from the VMS hardware’s position log file for a specific time period, and polling


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for VMS hardware status report.

7 6.4 - If either of the antennas are disconnected or blocked then the display (either LED lights or GUI) must change to reflect a “non-operational status” (as described in section 6.7)

Photograph and diagram from manual indicating the various states of operational status

8 6.7 - The hardware must have a means to easily identify its operational status. The display can be a Graphic User Interface (GUI), a LED light display or a combination of both. The display must be visible from various locations within the wheel-house and be physically integrated with the VMS hardware so that the operational status may be identified without connecting the hardware to a computer or other external device.

Photograph and diagram from manual indicating the various states of operational status

9 7.5 - The VMS software must be able to create geofences based on coordinates of specified areas (international, Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s), closed zones, etc) provided by DFO. VMS hardware must be able to receive and update these coordinates either remotely or via a physical update by the CSP. These reports are in additional to the regular positional reports.


10 7.5 - The hardware must be able to transmit reports identifying the first position upon entering one of these zones (Entry Message) and the first position upon leaving one of these zones (Exit message).


11 7.3 iii - All data sent to DFO must be in chronological order, this includes any backlogged data due to interruption of data transmission


12 6.8 - The VMS hardware must be able to connect to common power sources found onboard commercial fishing vessels, either directly or through another device that regulates the power supply for the hardware. If this requires extra equipment, then the applicant must identify such requirements as part of the VMS hardware solution.


13 6.8 - The VMS hardware must be able to cope with power fluctuations likely to be experienced on board fishing vessels without any degradation to performance.


14 6.9 - The VMS hardware must be able to connect to Reference page(s)

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a secondary power source. from the user manual: ____________

15 6.10 - The hardware must contain sufficient internal storage to maintain two (2) years’ worth of positions, with new positions over writing old ones.


16 6.11 - The hardware must be designed in such a way as to prevent physical tampering and digital hacking to the extent possible.


17 6.12 - If the hardware is utilizing cellular transmission, it must be capable of automatically switching to satellite transmission when a cellular signal is not available. The use of cellular MUST NOT interrupt the transmission of reports at the specified reporting interval.


18 6.13 - There must be an application interface available for the VMS hardware such that the functionality can be extended to support other types of reports from other hardware. The application must be able to send reports received from the extra peripherals through the VMS hardware as required by DFO or the client.


19 6.13 – Non-positional reports must be clearly identified to be separate, such that the report from the unit cannot be replicated or reproduced.


VMS Testing Cycle Test Case Required Documentation Initial if

Compliant

20 6.3 - GPS positions shall be in WGS84 format Section of user manual stating that GPS module is configured to the WGS84 format _______________

21 6.3 - The hardware must report all latitude and longitude positions using decimal degrees, and must be accurate to a minimum of five (5) decimal places

22 6.3 - The hardware must be able to triangulate GPS positions utilizing a minimum of three (3) satellites

23 7.3 - The hardware must be able to transmit, at a minimum, the following reports in the format described in the Standard:

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i. -Position Report i. -Unit No-GPS Report

24 6.5 - The hardware must be able to transmit accurate positional reports at a regular interval, and remotely change this interval as required

25 The hardware must be able to function fully at sea and must continue to meet all requirements set out in the Standard while at sea under varying and sometimes harsh weather conditions.


26 Stage 1: The VMS hardware must accurately report its GPS positions uninterrupted once per hour for a minimum of 48 continuous hours without dropping more than two consecutive reports during that time period

Date test was started:____________________ (YYYY/MM/DD)

27 Stage 2: The VMS hardware must accurately report its GPS positions uninterrupted every 15 minutes for a minimum of 48 continuous hours without dropping more than two consecutive reports during that time period


28 Stage 3: The VMS hardware must accurately report its GPS positions uninterrupted every 5 minutes for a minimum of 48 continuous hours without dropping more than two consecutive reports during that time period


I, [insert name here], attest that all of the information provided in the above checklist to be verified and true.

X____________________________________________ (signature) ______________________ (Date)

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